The New ICF Credentialing Changes: What They Really Mean for Coaches
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) has announced a major change to its credentialing process.
From April 2027, the Performance Evaluation requirement for ACC and PCC Portfolio paths will be removed.
In its place, coaches will complete an enhanced mentor coaching requirement, delivered by mentor coaches who hold the new Mentor Coach Qualification (MCQ).
On the surface, this might look like a simplification.
There are no recorded sessions to submit and no pass or fail assessment hanging over you and for many coaches, that removes a huge source of stress and it will feel like a relief.
A Shift in Where Assessment Happens
But there’s something deeper going on here.
The responsibility for assessing coaching competence is shifting. It’s moving away from a single moment of evaluation and into the mentoring process itself which changes the nature of what mentor coaching becomes.
It’s no longer just developmental support running alongside assessment.
It becomes the place where your coaching is observed, understood, and evaluated over time.
Why This Could Be a Positive Move
Done well, this could be a very positive change.
It creates space for a more nuanced, evidence-based understanding of how someone coaches. It allows for growth to be seen in context, rather than judged in a one-off recording. It also places far greater emphasis on the quality and rigour of mentor coaching itself.
There is also something reassuring in the idea that your coaching is not being reduced to a single “best performance.” Instead, it is seen as something that develops and becomes more consistent over time.
The Quality of Mentoring Will Matter More
And that’s where the real impact lies.
Not all mentor coaching is the same. Some approaches are still quite transactional, focused on “ticking off” the required hours. Under this new model, that simply won’t be enough.
Coaches will need mentoring that genuinely develops their understanding of what high-quality coaching looks like. They will need clear, grounded feedback. They will need to see what assessors listen for, and how their coaching aligns with that.
In other words, depth will matter more than ever.
What This Means in Practice
There is also an implication for pricing and positioning.
Enhanced mentor coaching, especially when it includes structured evaluation, is more involved.
It requires a higher level of skill, training and responsibility from the mentor coach. It’s likely we’ll see programmes evolve to reflect that.
It may also mean coaches need to be more discerning when choosing a mentor. Not just looking at hours or cost, but at how the mentoring is structured, how feedback is given, and how well it helps them really see their own coaching.
For coaches considering their credential, this shift invites a different kind of question.
Not “How do I pass?”
But “Who will help me really understand my coaching?”
Because in this new landscape, that understanding is what will carry you through the process and beyond it.
And in many ways, that feels like a move in the right direction.
Until next time,
Cath
P.S. I’ll be completing the new Mentor Coach Qualification (MCQ) in line with these changes, and I’ll be evolving my current Coach Development and Mentoring Programme to reflect what’s coming. I’ll share more details, including timings and how this will work in practice, very soon.
